Tea plants growing under natural condition meet various stresses. The tea plants often subjected to adverse condition like low temperature and high light intensity during overwintering. Because tea plant is adapted well to low light intensity, higher light intensity might induce negative effects on tea growth at open field (exposed habitat). We investigated tea plant planted with the seeds of wild tea trees growing at Unsu-ri, Hwagaemyun, Hadong-gun on Nov. in 2008. The experimental field for juvenile tea plants was located in the hill neighboring GSNU at Jinju, Korea. We divided the field into open, semi-shaded, and shaded condition. Light intensity (PAR) at open condition was two times and twenty times higher than at semi-shaded and shaded condition, respectively. Growth of tea plants was highly dependent on light condition, the plants at open field was extremely poor as compared to plants grown at shaded field. Height of plants at open, semi-shaded, and shaded field were 14, 17.3, and 17.8 cm, respectively. Leaf size was also greater in plants grown at shaded field. Photosynthesis-related chlorophyll fluorescence (quantum yield) was also higher in shaded plants. Fv/Fm value of plants grown at open fields was lower by 50% as compared to that of the plants grown at shaded field. Chlorophyll content measured by SPAD meter also indicated higher value in open field plant than shaded plants. Our results suggested the photoinhibition during overwintering period strongly affects the growth juvenile tea plants because there was no significant difference in soil moisture content between open and shaded condition.